84 COPE 



Metacarpal and carpal bones reduced in num- 

 ber, coossified ; ungues wanting or 

 single ; caudal vertebrae reduced in num- 

 ber, the terminal areas usually coossified ; Eurhipidurm ■ 



The Saueur^ includes but one order, which is defined' 



as follows : 



Vertebrae biconcave ; feathers arranged in 

 one series on each side of the caudal ver- 

 tebrse ; teeth present ; Ornithopappi.. 



To this order but one family belongs, viz., the Archse- 

 opterygidse. 



This family is represented by one genus, Archseopteryx 

 from the Oolite (Middle Jurassic) of Solenhofen, Bavaria. 

 It was furnished with long feathers on the wings, adapting 

 it for flight, and the long lizard-like tail had a row of long 

 feathers on each side of it. It is the oldest known type of' 

 birds, and is an important one as showing the near connec- 

 tion of birds with reptiles. (Fig. 30.) 



The EuRHiPiDUE^E include four or five tribes which dif- 

 fer as follows : 

 Ischium free from ilium posteriorly ; * 



palate dromseognathous {i. e., maxillo- 



palatines articulating with vomer 



which is between them, palatines not 



articulating directly with sphenoid 



rostrum); no teeth ; (1) Ratitse. 



Ischium free from ilium posteriorly ; pal- 

 ate ? dromsegnathous ; teeth ; (2) Odontolcx. 



Ischium free from ilium posteriorly ; pal- 

 ate not dromseognathous (?) ; teeth ; (3) Odontotormie. 



Ischium coossified with ilium posteriorly ; 

 palate not dromseognathous ; feathers 



*Witli some apparent exceptions. 



